Shoe stiffener and method of incorporating it in shoes



July 16, 1929. w.-J. LUND El AL 1.120.795

SHOE STIFFENER AND METHOD OF INGOIRPORATING IT IN SHOES Filed on. 7, 1927 of the lining 0 the s i a method v described Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JACKSON LUND AND LUCIEN PAUL IELLEBIO, or LEIoEs'r Ea, ENGLAND, assronoas, BY MESNE Assmmmm's, TO THE OELASTIC ooaro mmo'rou, DELAWARE, a conromrron or DELAWARE more, or WIL- SHOE STIIFENEB AND METHOD OF INCOBPORATING IT IN SHOES.

Application filed October 7, 1927, Serial No. 224,702, and in Great Britain October 30, 1928.

This invention relates to stifi'ening parts of boots and shoes, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a toe stiffener and a method of incorporating it in a boot or shoe.

In the manufacture of boots and shoes, box

. toe blanks have been used containin stiffening substances such as celluloid which may be softened or gelatinized by treatment with a solvent preparatory to the pulling-over or lasting operation and subsequently become stiff and resilient when the solvent as evaporated. These substances have been used in venous ways in connection with fabric bases,

for example, as a coating for the fabric or as an impregnating material for the fabric.

In one aspect the resent invention relates to a stiffener blank t e stiffening substance of which is made'up in whole or in part of fibres composed of a gelatinizable substance. For example, the stiffener blank may be made of the product known in the artificial silk trade as celanese, the fibres or threads of which are composed of cellulose acetate. By the employment of a fabric such as this which-may be gelatinized by treatment with I a suitable solvent such as acetone, several advantages are secured; A substantial uniformity of distribution of the stiffening substance throughout the part to be the-blank is made entirely of gelatinizable material. The stifiener blank, besides being thin, is flexible and may be incorporated, for exam le, in a turned shoe and treated, when the s 0c is on the first last just prior to being turned, b appl ing to the toe portion 0e a sponge wet with solvent so as to soften and gelatinize the blank preparatory to turning the shoe right side out and conforming it to the second last.

In another aspect the invention comprises of providing a stiffener containi fibres of gelatinizable materiaL-treating the fibres to gelatinize them and conforming'the stiffener to a last. The

tised in the manufacture of .a turned shoe after the particular manner which has been above, or in the manufacture of turned or other shoes in the usual. manner.

R eferring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan of a toe stiffener blank, in

k 'Fig.2-isa cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

stiffened is assured. An extremely thin blank may be used sincemethod may be praclayers of like orzdi take place before or after the blank has been incorporated in the upper of the shoe and will preferably be carried out prior to the turning of :1 turned shoe and prior to the pulling-over operation on other shoes. The immediate effect of the solvent is to convert the cellulose acetate threads into a sticky gelatinous condition so that after the toe portion of the shoe has been conformed to the last and the solvent has evaporated, the cellulose acetate is left in the form of a thin, spring film firmly attachedto the parts of the upper between which it lies.

Although the fabric of the illustrate'dstiif- I 'ener is composed of woven cellulose acetate vvrthreads, it

is obvious that other materials than cellulose acetate and otherarrangements of threads or fibres may-be employed. The the fibres of f b a ric may be produced in a variety of ways. t may' be a felted product composed of fibres of gelatinizable material mixed'with felting fibres or'bonded by a suitable adhesive. For example, the gelatinizable fibrous material may be celluloid and the felting fibres wool, or the fibres of celluloid may be bonded together by collodion.- Again, the fabric may be ingand may comprise strands thread, such as cotton, which are not latinizable, so that the stlfl'ener, when so ened, shall not entirely lose its structure and pass temporarily into a mere layer of soft ,gelatinous material. In many instances, however, it is desirable that substantially all of the fibrous content of the fabric be gelatini'zable, since it then becomes readily-possible, after ng' the stiffener has been conformed to the last and while it is still soft, to change the thickness of made by knitting or weavof yarnor the stifl'ening material at a selected locality.v For example, it is possible by proper'pressing and rubbing over the rear margin of a toe stiifener'to force the softened material more or less into the lining and to thin-the rear margin of the stifl'ener after the manner desired in lain vamp shoes.

The material, wliether composed in or in p used, f esired, in a flpluralitiy of superposed erent c a whole 10a of the gelatinizable fibres, may be mixer and of different area so as to produce in the composite stiffener blank a margin of decreasing thickness. For example, two layers of woven the blanks may be prepared, a fabric of suitable texture, woven, knitted, felted or otherwise made, may be acetylated or nitrated to a suitable degree in the Web and while still wet cut up into properly shaped blanks, and the still Wet blanks sized or otherwise treated superficially in a bath of a solution ofa sizing agent, preferably soluble in the intended gelat-inizing solvent or in a bath of a solvent such as alcohol which will superficially gelatinize the fibres. The blanks will not be stiltened to any appreciable extent' by such treatments but at the same time will be freed from 7 any tendency when dry to produce fiufi' or dust when handled.

Having describedour invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A shoe stiffener blank containing a gelatini zable stiffening substance in fibrous form.

2. A shoe stiffener blank containing an ester of cellulose in fibrous form.

3. A shoe stifiener blank comprising a fabric some of the fibres of which are gelatinizable.

4. A shoe stiffener blank made of a cellulose ester fabric.

5. Themethod of making a stifl'ener blank which comprises cutting the blank from a fabric containing fibres of a gelatinizable sub-v stance and treating the blank to counteract any tendency of the cut fibres to give off fluff or dust when handled.

6. The method of stiffening, portions-of the uppers of' shoes which comprises incorporating in the upper of a shoe a blank containing a gelatinizable stifiening substance in fibrous form, treating the blank with a solvent for-the stiffening substance togelatinize it, and conforming the blank with the upper to thelast.

. 7. The method of stiffening portions of the uppers of shoes which comprises incor orating in .the upper of a turned shoe a blan containing a gelatinizable stiffening substance in fibrous form, treating the blank with a solvent while the shoe is wrong side out, turning the shoe right side out, and conforming the blank with the upper to the second last.

In testimony'whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

WILLIAM JACKSON LUND. LUCIEN PAUL MELLERIO. 

